The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is replacing the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT).
VOCAT has stopped accepting new applications. VOCAT is continuing to process existing (pending) applications.
Move your application from VOCAT to FAS
If you want to move your application from VOCAT to the new scheme, you will need to cancel your existing application and reapply to the FAS.
You can withdraw your existing application if VOCAT has not made a final decision.
You cannot apply to the FAS if VOCAT has finished assessing your application and decided on the final amount to award you, or if VOCAT has refused your application.
You cannot reapply to the FAS in some circumstances where VOCAT has provided you with interim funds.
If you reapply to the FAS, your application must meet FAS time limits.
If you have received interim funds
If you have received an interim decision from VOCAT and did not withdraw your application from VOCAT before the FAS commenced on 18 November, you cannot apply to the FAS. VOCAT will continue to process your application.
If you received interim funds from VOCAT and withdrew your application after 18 November, you can apply to VOCAT to have your original application reinstated. VOCAT has discretion as to whether to reinstate the application.
If you received an interim decision from VOCAT and withdrew your application from VOCAT before 18 November 2024, you can reapply to the FAS.
Making changes to your VOCAT award
If you have previously received an award from VOCAT and need to change (vary) your assistance, you must now apply to the FAS.
You can no longer apply to VOCAT for a variation. You must apply to the FAS.
For FAS to vary a VOCAT award, you must:
- already have a VOCAT award
- submit your variation request to FAS within the time limits
- have new evidence or changes in your situation since VOCAT last provided assistance, and
- explain what extra help you're asking for and how it will help in your recovery from the violent act.
See our legal guidelines for more information on applying to vary a VOCAT award.
VOCAT is continuing to process any existing (pending) variation applications before VOCAT closes.
Apply for a minor variation
You can make as many minor variations to your VOCAT application as you need.
A minor variation is a change that is consistent with what the original award intended. This includes seeking more of the same type of treatment, such as additional counselling sessions.
To apply for a minor variation, you will need to provide new evidence. You will need to show:
- that your circumstances have changed
- that you request further assistance
- that further assistance will assist in your recovery, and
- that the further assistance will continue to help you recover from the violent act.
Apply for a substantive variation
You can only make one substantive variation to your VOCAT application. A substantial variation is when you need to request a new type of assistance. This includes:
- a completely new type of assistance (for example, requesting financial help for safety-related expenses when your existing application only covered medical expenses)
- changing the type of assistance (for example, requesting medical expenses for electroconvulsive therapy instead of cognitive therapy)
- further assistance where there is no link between the assistance already paid, and new assistance.
Time limits for variations
If you were 18 years or older when you applied to VOCAT, you have 6 years from when you received your final VOCAT award to apply for a variation.
If you were under 18 years old when you applied to VOCAT, you have until you are 24 years old to apply for a variation.
How to apply for variations
You can apply for a variation of your VOCAT award by first registering with the FAS by completing an application to transition your VOCAT award to the FAS on the FAS online portal.
After you have registered your details on the portal, you can then download and complete a VOCAT variation application form.
The form has instructions on how to submit your application.
You can also contact the FAS Helpline on 1800 161 136 between 8:30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays) for information on how to apply for a variation.
Payments from VOCAT
If VOCAT has finalised your application and decided to pay for your expenses, you will still receive payment for these expenses. These are known as authorised future expenses.
You will need to request payment from the FAS for authorised future expenses that VOCAT has awarded.
How to apply for payment of VOCAT authorised future expenses with the FAS
You will need to register with the FAS to request payment for authorised future expenses awarded by VOCAT.
You can register with the FAS by completing an application to transition your VOCAT award to the FAS on the FAS online portal.
Once your transition application is complete and registration with the FAS confirmed, you will be able to submit your invoices or receipts on the online portal for payment.
Timings
When you make an application to the FAS to vary a VOCAT award or for payment of VOCAT authorised future expenses, the FAS will obtain information about the original award from VOCAT before assessing the application.
When the FAS first opens, there will be a short delay in obtaining this information.
While this will mean that the FAS takes some extra time to process these applications, victims will not have to retell their story or provide documents to the FAS that they have already provided to VOCAT.
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